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Police briefs

FITCHBURG -- A Fitchburg man is facing an animal cruelty charge after allegedly beating his puppy in December, according to court documents.

Fong L. Yang, 29, of 9 Lynn St., is charged with animal cruelty.

According to a police report included with court documents, on Dec. 3 on Water Street, a Sterling man saw Yang allegedly hit his English bulldog-pit bull mix puppy repeatedly on the head while yelling at it, and then throw the puppy forcefully into his vehicle, causing the dog to cry out. He reported the incident to Animal Control Officer Suzan Kowaleski, who visited Yang at home and he allegedly told her he beats the dog for discipline.

Kowaleski said in the report that the dog's eyes were red, and Yang allegedly explained this by saying he pushes the dog's face into its urine or feces when it has an accident in the house.

"I told Mr. Yang that what he was doing was abusing his puppy and he then stated, 'It's my puppy, I'll beat it when necessary,'" Kowaleski wrote in the report. "I then asked Yang if he would beat a child and he stated that if the child needed it he would."

When Kowaleski returned on Dec. 6 to inform him that animal cruelty charges would be brought against him, Yang surrendered the puppy to Animal Control, allegedly saying that "he didn't need all this."

Yang was arraigned in Fitchburg District Court on Wednesday and was released on personal recognizance.

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He is due back in court Feb. 21.

FITCHBURG -- A Fitchburg man arrested in November for allegedly attempting to murder his blind wife and kicking her guide dog is now facing another charge for allegedly failing to register as a Level 3 sex offender, according to court documents.

Thomas J. Lanigan, 58, of 120 Academy St., had his bail set at $50,000 cash on Dec. 3 following his Nov. 28 arraignment and dangerousness hearing for charges of attempted murder, assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon (knife) and cruelty to animals.

He was arraigned at Fitchburg District Court on Wednesday for failing to register as a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender and given $1,000 cash bail or $10,000 surety.

If Lanigan makes bail, he must be monitored by GPS. He has been ordered to stay away from and have no contact with his wife, and remain drug and alcohol free except for taking his prescribed "psychotic" medications, according to court documents.

According to a report by Officer Brian Rouleau, Lanigan's last registered address is 1668 Worcester Rd., Framingham, and he has been living at his Academy Street address for over a month. Rouleau filed for failure to register charge as well as the enhanced penalty of lifetime parole.

Lanigan was convicted in 1993 on one count of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or older, one count of rape and abuse of a child, and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age, according to the Sex Offender Registry Board.

He is due back in court Feb. 7 for a pretrial hearing.

FITCHBURG -- A Princeton man was arrested early Monday after he was observed running a red light and driving on the wrong side of the road, according to Sgt. Glenn Fossa.

Casey E. Katebi, 21, of 36D Rocky Pond Road, is charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He was also cited with red-light and marked-lanes violations.

According to Fossa, Sgt. Steven Giannini observed Katebi run through a red light near the intersection of Airport and Bemis roads, and then continue on the wrong side of the road. Upon pulling Katebi over, Giannini made observations that led him to believe Katebi was driving intoxicated, Fossa said.

LEOMINSTER -- A Clubhouse Drive resident admitted to State Police raiding his home that he had child pornography on his computer before he was arrested Thursday, according to Leominster District Court documents.

According to court documents, the State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force traced child pornographic videos to Schwartz's Internet address on Nov. 15.

The videos were downloaded using the BitTorrent file sharing program.

Police used a search warrant to seize digital evidence from his home Thursday, court documents said.

"Mr. Schwartz explained that he had been viewing and collecting child pornography for approximately one and a half years," a court document.

Schwartz is scheduled to return to court Feb. 4.

LEOMINSTER -- An attempted murder charge was dismissed against a homeless man but he was sentenced to 18 months in Worcester County Jail and House of Correction in West Boylston for assault and battery Friday, according to Leominster District Court records.

Darren P. Vincent, 42, was given 57 days credit for the time he served waiting for sentencing.

The victim had told police in November that Vincent had punched her and strangled her until she blacked out.

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